I'd completely agree that you should look to do something you enjoy but I'm not sure you need to think 40 years down the road. If I was doing the same thing for 40 years I'd go crazy no matter how much I initially enjoyed it.

Personally I think careeers can, and should, be much more flexible - different industries, different roles, employed, freelance, working from home ...... variety helps to keep you fresh and introduce you to new ideas.

I'd say constantly learning new things and being exposed to new thinking is certainly a secret of success.

I think choosing a career can be very stressful because you have to spend thousands of dollars going to college and hope you have made the right decision. The problem I have regarding careers, is many people go to college when they are young and have no clue what they want to do with their life. Its not until they have experienced life and learned about themsleves that they can make an educated decision on what career path to take.

I think if one has the job satisfaction then one can always motivate self to perform better and better. I have seen candidates going for less salary jobs where they expect they will have job satisfaction.

In my opinion, the secret of getting successful career is networking with other professionals. In fact, the entire nation is based on networking and political favoritism. Many people network in social settings, especially in country clubs, church, cigar clubs, health clubs, and bars.

I think one of the factors that contribute to a successful career is to realize it takes a long time to establish a career that you are sucessful in. Many people just starting out in the job market feel they will reach their dream job instantly. This never happens. It takes time, dedication, and lots of patients. Your first job may not be desirable, but you need to use it as a stepping stone to new and better opportunities. If you have this mind set, you will one day reach the career you long for. Does anyone else agree?